7 things to do once you’ve finished a sales call

Making a sales call takes concentration and determination, so it’s not uncommon to feel drained when you’re finished. Here are seven things to do at the end of a call, so that you don’t let tiredness come before progress.

Connect

Part of a sales call follow up involves connecting with your clients in various ways. First and foremost, sending a follow up email is often initially more suitable before making further telephone calls, as the client can view the information that you send them at their own leisure.

LinkedIn is also a great way of making non-invasive contact with new leads, as it gives you the opportunity to make contact with people who are connected to your existing clients. The more connections you can make, the more people will be able to view your business.

Make a record of it

While it’s still fresh in your mind, make a record of the call. What observations did you make whilst talking to the client? Include any particular concerns they have, the line of business they are in, the position they hold and their general attitude to your pitch, as these are all important aspects to remember. Before you follow up with a client, it’s vital to reacquaint yourself with their profile. Things to include could be:

Was the objective achieved?

Was it successfully achieved?

What wasn’t successful?

Why do I think this is a viable lead?

Is it time to take the lead to the next sales level?

What needs to be done in order to take the lead to the next sales level?

Does anyone else in the team need to be involved?

When am I next speaking to the client?

What are the objectives for the next meeting or conversation with them?

Note down both things that have worked and things that have not. Next time you make a sales call you will have a preliminary checklist of things to try. Likewise, aspects of your sales technique that haven’t gotten results can only inform your future sales strategies.

Share your experience with colleagues too, so that the business can grow.

Make a plan

Don’t let a good deal go by not planning a sales call follow up strategy. Make sure you have a record of when you’re going to make the follow up call. Note down any future appointments that have been made, and give yourself plenty of time to freshen up on any answers the client wants from you.

The battle of the cold call may have been won, but the war of successful sales hangs on the balance of a well thought out plan.

Diaries come in paper, phones and computers; the best way to keep track of multiple appointments is to sync all electronic diaries. That way you won’t miss an appointment because you’re looking at the wrong schedule.

Check on current clients

It’s good to chase new leads and develop new sales opportunities. But it’s important not to lose sight of those customers you are already dealing with. Once you’ve made all the necessary notes and observations after making your sales call, check the portfolios of you current clients.

Have there been any new developments?

When was the last time you spoke to them?

When are you next scheduled to speak with them?

Are there any concerns of theirs still needing to be sorted out?

Have you got all the information you need to answer their questions?

Do you need to talk to anyone else on your team in regards to a particular client?

Follow Up Call

Firstly, check in with your team to solve any problems the client may have, and make sure that you do have all the answers to the client’s questions, when you follow up with them. Sooner is always the better, so get this done before the client has time to forget about it.

It’s worth noting that when you do a follow up call, don’t make the mistake of leaping into the ‘sales persona’ before thinking, otherwise mistakes can be made – such as:

Panicking ‘white lies’

Lines such as ‘…we spoke three months ago’, will do nothing to help your credibility or your sales, if you didn’t speak with the client three months ago.

Blank mind syndrome

Try scribbling down a couple of opening sentences before you follow up with a client. Nothing sounds worse than a client answering the phone to a blank silence, or worse, stumbling jumbled sentences. Think first, and speak clearly.

Coming out with cliché lines

Lines such as ‘We sent you some literature to look over, have you had a chance to do that yet?’ will alienate your client, especially, since there are usually only two outcomes. One: the client hasn’t had time to read the material. Two: they have received the material, and now have all the information they need. Either way, it won’t do your sales any favours to exasperate the client with clichés.

Put the kettle on

Last but not least, take a breath. Putting all of your passion into a call can be exhausting, so take a minute to regain your energy. A quick cup of coffee or tea will help you to forget about your clients for a moment.

Writing things down, while they are still fresh in your memory, is very important, but sometimes it is better to take a moment away from your computer in order to digest what you have discussed. A little caffeine will enable you to come back to a problem with a fresh perspective.

Also, of course you need to loosen up and get yourself in the right mindset for the next sales call. You don’t want to be talking to the next client while still thinking about the previous one do you?

Most guidelines for making sales calls focus on the call itself, but your sales call follow up is just as important. Taking the time to make sure you’ve made the right notes, checking on questions and following up with every client you call, is vital to making sure, when you do pick up the phone, you have all the material at your fingertips, to successfully sell your brand to the client.

Andy Dickens

Andy Dickens is a veteran of IT Sales, used to leading by example.
He is the CEO of Virtual Sales Limited (VSL) who offer telesales, telemarketing, lead generation and appointment setting services to B2b businesses.
He previously was Sales Director EMEA for Red Hat and before that ran sales at Visio before it was acquired by Microsoft.